[{"command":"openDialog","selector":"#drupal-modal","settings":null,"data":"\u003Cdiv id=\u0022republish_modal_form\u0022\u003E\u003Cform class=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form ecl-form\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 action=\u0022\/en\/article\/modal\/13677\u0022 method=\u0022post\u0022 id=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 accept-charset=\u0022UTF-8\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHorizon articles can be republished for free under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EYou must give appropriate credit. We ask you to do this by:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 1) Using the original journalist\u0027s byline\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 2) Linking back to our original story\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 3) Using the following text in the footer: This article was originally published in \u003Ca href=\u0027#\u0027\u003EHorizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003ESee our full republication guidelines \u003Ca href=\u0027\/horizon-magazine\/republish-our-stories\u0027\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EHTML for this article, including the attribution and page view counter, is below:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-form-item form-item js-form-type-textarea form-item-body-content js-form-item-body-content ecl-form-group ecl-form-group--text-area form-no-label ecl-u-mv-m\u0022\u003E\n \n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Ctextarea data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 aria-describedby=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 id=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 name=\u0022body_content\u0022 rows=\u00225\u0022 cols=\u002260\u0022 class=\u0022form-textarea ecl-text-area\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EUnder the influence: how digital media affects teens\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn today\u2019s world, the line between online and offline is increasingly being blurred, especially for children and teens. Navigating this space safely can be a challenge.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKlavdija Berginc, a maths and computer science teacher at a primary school in Kobarid, Slovenia, has witnessed this struggle up close over more than a decade in the classroom.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI remember a 12-year-old student who simply couldn\u2019t function without a screen,\u201d she said. \u201cHe demanded screentime as a reward for everything \u2013 from studying for a few minutes to visiting the dentist.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYoung people today use the internet more than ever, with social media becoming central to how they connect and express themselves. Understanding how this impacts their mental health is becoming increasingly urgent.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe need to teach young people to use smart devices in a smart way,\u201d said Berginc. \u201cAnd help them take more responsibility for their actions online.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EA question of balance\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBerginc\u2019s pupils are taking part in a large-scale EU-funded study called MIMIc, which is investigating the role of digital media in the lives of adolescents. Thousands of teens in Belgium, France and Slovenia took part in the study, which will conclude in December 2025.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur goal was to understand if young people can grow up in a digital world, while maintaining a healthy balance,\u201d said study coordinator Laura Vandenbosch, an associate professor at the University of Leuven (KU\u202fLeuven) in Belgium and director of the KU Leuven Media Psychology Lab. \u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003EWe need to teach young people to use smart devices in a smart way.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003EKlavdija Berginc, primary school teacher, Slovenia\u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe MIMIc researchers examined how teens interact with platforms like Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat, what they post and consume, as well as how it affects their mood, self-image and views on the world.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe also looked at content posted by the influencers popular with adolescents \u2013 and the political and ethical opinions they express,\u201d said Vandenbosch.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers analysed extensive online content, from music lyrics to Instagram posts by celebrities, influencers and athletes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAt the end of the day, these influencers are opinion makers,\u201d she said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThey\u2019re not just promoting beauty tips or shopping habits \u2013 they\u2019re selling moral values and identity to audiences who are at a vulnerable stage of life.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EDigital influence, real consequences\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESuch exposure can play a key role during a child\u2019s developmental phase, according to Vandenbosch.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAdolescents are still finding their own identity, and they are very vulnerable to the influence of their peers \u2013 offline and online.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe study confirms that social media can significantly influence how teens feel about themselves, especially their appearance and sense of self-worth.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe see direct links between social media use and emotional wellbeing,\u201d said Vandenbosch. Regularly viewing idealised images online can lead to an increased pressure to be perfect \u2013 in the eyes of peers and parents alike.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHowever, the researchers also revealed positive effects. For instance, teens exposed to body-positive images reported feeling better about their bodies. But these benefits, like the negative impacts, did not apply to all respondents equally.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EManaging reactions\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELearning how to manage negative reactions to social media exposure is important. Thankfully, there are skills that can be learned.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers found that if adolescents can stop and reflect when they encounter negative emotions while using social media and then take action to alleviate these feelings, they are much more protected.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBeing aware of the impact of social media is not enough,\u201d said Vandenbosch. \u201cYou need to take action and, for instance, stop scrolling, stop posting, go outside, or call a friend.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe negative impact of social media exposure is especially strong at the time of use.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe effects we studied were particularly intense over a short period, but since teens are almost always online, even short-term impacts matter,\u201d Vandenbosch said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EThe role of parents\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMuch depends on the child\u2019s environment, especially the role of parents.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cChildren whose parents have strong media literacy skills tend to fare better online,\u201d said Vandenbosch. \u0026nbsp;\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003EWe see direct links between social media use and emotional wellbeing.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003ELaura Vandenbosch, MIMIc\u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBerginc agrees. \u201cWe try to engage parents, but many don\u2019t acknowledge that their child might have a problem. They often don\u2019t monitor their child\u2019s online activity or put enough effort into learning about internet use.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHer advice? Open dialogue is key. \u201cChildren need to hear that what they see online is only the best part of someone\u2019s life. They should still value their own lives, even with all their flaws.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt is crucial that parents talk to their children about the online world, but the responsibility should not rest solely with them, said Vandenbosch. \u201cOnline platforms and policymakers must step up, too.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EToward safer platforms\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe findings of the MIMIc research team offer valuable insights for developing smarter prevention and intervention strategies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe now know which teens are most vulnerable and when they\u2019re most at risk,\u201d said Vandenbosch. \u201cThis gives us a solid foundation to push platforms to take protective measures.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EVandenbosch sees a lot of value in the EU\u2019s Digital Services Act, as well as the European strategy for a Better Internet for Kids,\u0026nbsp;adopted in May 2022. The latter outlines a vision for a\u0026nbsp;\u201cDigital Decade\u201d\u0026nbsp;that protects children from harmful content, promotes digital empowerment and prioritises safe, age-appropriate design for online platforms.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShe is hoping that the European Commission will take on board the MIMIc research findings and consider further measures to make the internet safer for children. In particular, they recommend better enforcement of the 13-year age limit for social media use.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EVandenbosch would also like researchers and child protection experts to have greater oversight over new features, such as AI chatbots, introduced on social media platforms.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe should use this research to advance media literacy in Europe,\u201d she said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EVandenbsoch is proud that the\u0026nbsp;MIMIc study\u0026nbsp;will be presented at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan. There, it will be part of the Commission\u2019s showcase of\u0026nbsp;EU-funded research, demonstrating Europe\u2019s commitment to tackling societal challenges through science and innovation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s fantastic that people around the world can learn from our findings,\u201d she said. \u201cAwareness is very important in empowering and protecting children online.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur aim was always to improve children\u2019s wellbeing,\u201d she said. \u201cThe more people who hear our message, the better we can protect the next generation online.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EResearch in this article was funded by the European Research Council (ERC). The views of the interviewees don\u2019t necessarily reflect those of the European Commission. 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